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Archbishop Yong Ping Chung of South East Asia Visits Canada A stirring 'Common Cause' celebration with Archbishop Yong Ping Chung was held in North Vancouver, BC, on Sept 8th, 2006. Orthodox Anglicans were represented from the Anglican Coalition in Canada, Anglican Essentials Network/Federation churches, the Anglican Communion in New Westminster, and some of the continuing churches in Canada. We saw a deepening of relationships as we work together for Anglican realignment internationally and in Canada.
There was a strong challenge by Arch Yong to not 'bow the knee to Baal', compromising our core beliefs and morals. Archbishop Yong described those present as God's front line troops in the battle for Anglican orthodoxy worldwide. Archbishop Yong and his wife Julia were also present for the induction of the Rev Ken Bell as rector/senior priest of St Timothy's North Vancouver, and for the 10th Anniversary of Richmond Emmanuel Church led by the Rev. Silas Ng. Following a communion service, 380 people celebrated the 10th Anniversary with song and speeches at a local Chinese Restaurant. Richmond Emmanuel Church, which ministers to Cantonese and Mandarin-speaking people, is launching an English-language service on Sept 17th Sunday at 6pm.
Archbishop Yong spent Monday Sept 11th and Tuesday Sept 12th in consultations with orthodox Anglican clergy, seeking practical ways to work together for national and global Anglican realignment.
Direct oversight for the Anglican Coalition in Canada is provided by Bishop Thomas (TJ) Johnston, a missionary bishop of the Province of Rwanda and the Anglican Mission, with the Rev. Paul Carter serving as the ACiC Network Leader. Archbishop Yong is one of the five Archbishops on the ACiC Primatial Council.
A video presentation of the ACiC story is available online at http://acicanada.ca/documents/acic.ram . For information on possible affiliation, please click on http://acicanada.ca/affiliate .
A small CD introducing the work of the ACiC is available free of charge and newly released DVD's of talks from Bishop Johnston sharing the vision, passion and DNA of the ACiC are available on request. The ACiC is committed to evangelism, church health and church planting.
For further information about the Anglican Coalition in Canada, please contact the Rev. Paul Carter, ACiC Network Leader at paul@acicanada.ca or (604) 222-4486 or The Rev. Ed Hird, ACiC Communications Officer at ed_hird@telus.net or (604) 929-5350. - 30 -
1b) http://en.emmanuelvoice.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=1 Launch of English Service Sept.17 Sept 17, at 6 p.m. Guest speaker: Reverend Ed Hird Celebrant : Reverend Silas Ng Greetings,
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are the living witnesses to God's Glory and Grace, in that Richmond Emmanuel Church will be celebrating our 10th Anniversary, and we will witness the birth of a new ministry. Our English service will commence on Sept 17, at 6 p.m. Please try and attend, also invite your family and friends to join you. Our guest speaker for this service will be our good friend, Reverend Ed Hird, Reverend Silas Ng will be the Celebrant.
We will have tea and coffee after the service and have a time to share and meet each other in fellowship.
Singleness in Heart and Action.
In Christ.
Jim Kelly.
2) http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4685 News : Battle for the Soul of Canada - by The Rev. Ed Hird Posted by Robert Turner on 2006/9/11 19:40:00 (VirtueOnline)
The book Battle for the Soul of Canada will be out by Mid-November 2006. The price will be $15.00, plus shipping and handling. ($3.50 S&H only applies within Canada)
There is a special pre-publishing discount for those who pre-order the book before it is published. Just send a check addressed to "Ed Hird" for $11.50 (Can), plus shipping and handling ($3.50 in Canada). By surface to the USA, the total cost would be $17.15 USD (by air, $18.28 USD).
The mailing address is: Ed Hird #1008-555 West 28th Street North Vancouver, BC, V7N 2J7, Canada.
Checks can only be accepted from USA, England and Canada. All others need to send bank drafts.
Endorsements:
Battle for the Soul of Canada is both contemporary church history and uplifting Scriptural commentary. The Revd Ed Hird tells the personal story that forms one great chapter of the renewal of orthodox Anglican witness in Canada at the beginning of the 21st century. -The Right Reverend Bob Duncan, Bishop of Pittsburgh, Moderator of the Anglican Communion Network and Chair of the Common Cause Partnership
Churches rot away when good men keep silent. Thank goodness for Ed Hird's courage and clarity in contending for historic Anglicanism amidst a Canadian Anglican Church which has lost its way. -The Rev. Canon Dr. Michael Green, former Advisor for Evangelism to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York
Ed Hird is a pioneer, a modern-day Timothy, who believes that he can make a difference even when adversity is looking him in the face. His book is a rollicking, fast-paced read through Canadian church and secular history, narratively written, with one eye on how it impacts 'the faith once delivered to the saints' and how it should translate into contemporary Canada. Canada's moral and spiritual crisis is strongly paralleled in the crisis of the Ephesian Church two millennium ago, he writes. If Hird's book can stem that tide, then it will have been a major contribution to its much needed renewal. -David W. Virtue DD, Virtue Online http://www.virtueonline.org
Anyone doubting that the Bible accurately describes the reality of life needs to read this book. The author, the Reverend Ed Hird, has opened his mind and heart and invited us into the account and the cost of standing firm in "the Faith once delivered", despite the price and despite the foolishness of ecclesiastical dignitaries. The author concludes on a note of hope and well he might. He has every right to do so. I commend this book to the reader most highly. -The Right Reverend John H. Rodgers Jr. ThD, Anglican Mission in America
3a) http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/?p=685 Can an Anglican Priest also be a Hindu? Sunday September 10th 2006, 2:49 pm Anglican Mainstream International Mr Hart, an Oxford graduate, believes there will be no problem with him officiating as an Ánglican priest when he returns to visit England, staying in the house he owns in Stretham, Ely. Rev Pauline Scott, Vicar of St James in Stretham, wasn't so sure when I spoke to her yesterday. 'We prefer our priests to be Christian,' she said. Of course Mr Hart, who is international secretary of the World Congress of Faiths and an active member of the Sea of Faith Network (need I say more?), believes he is still a Christian and that there is no contradiction between being a Hindu and being a Christian. Discussion on BBC Radio 4 Sunday Programme September 10 Roger Bolton the presenter interviews Rev David Hart, and Canon Vinay Samuel, introduced as a leading Indian Christian evangelical priest RB Is Jesus the only saviour in your view and that no man cometh to the Father by him and through him? DH. No. I am afraid I have to say I do not believe he is the only saviour. He is very a important prophet but so is Krishna and so is Mohammed and other religious leaders also. RB There is a denial of the uniqueness of Jesus. Do you think that should bar Rev David Hart from being an Anglican priest? VKS I think the integrity of the Christian faith would certainly demand it. While I admire David Hard for his courage in taking this journey, exploring and appropriating both religions and coming to a situation where he believes his identity is much more a multiple faith identity, I do not think this is possible from a Christian point of view. He cannot claim to be Christian and have the integrity of the Christian identity and much more one who represents it as a priest and continue to have and then share that with a Hindu identity as well. RB So you think perhaps that his licence should be revoked by the bishop. VKS. It is up to the bishop. But it is not so much the bishop revoking the licence. Rev David Hart must himself recognise the church is certainly not ready for this. It might be .While he prays and hopes and works hard for the church to get ready to accept these identities, he should really opt out himself. RB. Do you have any intention of opting out then, David Hart? DH. No. None at all. I did question that Rev Samuel talks about identity. In the world today we are actually undergoing a great transformation. We are not actually so much concerned with national identity now. We are much more concerned with being part of a global village. I think if we are doing that economically, we need to do that religiously too. Religious leaders should help people from the tribal religions to come together in a more global understanding. My recent book is called "Global religion in an age of rapid change". It is a very difficult age. People want to cling to their tribal identities. There is only one God in the whole world. As religious leaders and writers that is what we have to help people to understand. VKS I entirely agree in the search for a religious identity that does not dismiss or deny other people the right to their identities, that actually draws the best from every religion. I continue to get inspiration from reading Hindu scriptures, from using Hindu mythological stories. That kind of a dialogue, that kind of exploration I think is entirely appropriate and is necessary in a globalised world. It is the reason why religion can be a resource for peace and transformation. Yes. But it cannot really undermine the integrity of a religious identity itself. For a Christian, a Christian identity is based on the kind of things that you said earlier, which is not just a focus on Jesus as the way to God but on Jesus as God himself.
3b) http://timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill/2006/09/should_this_hin.html#more Friday, 08 September 2006. Times Columns UK Should this Hindu convert remain a CofE priest? You know when you've had a really great holiday and you're back at work and after a few days you think, my goodness, have I ever really been away? I had that feeling this week, when story after story was piling up to write, unopened letters were still taking up all the spare space on my desk and emails were blinking persistently at me, demanding to be read. And then the Church Times arrived in its usual brown envelope on my desk, a day before everyone else gets it. Sitting down with a cup of tea and unaccustomed pleasure to read it after a month of CT abstinence, imagine my joy to see the lead on page three. Beautifully written by Bill Bowder, this was the kind of story journalists love to write and diocesan communications officers hate us to write about. Which possibly explains why I couldn't get hold of the Ely DCO all day. This picture shows the Rev David Hart, who has just had his licence to officiate renewed by the Bishop of Ely, Dr Anthony Russell, in The Hindu this week.
He is blessing the four-armed elephant god Ganesh, outside his house in India, before going off on pilgrimage to dip it in the ocean. He converted to Hinduism, before his licence was renewed but without telling poor Dr Russell, and moved to India from Loughborough where he was senior Anglican chaplain at the university.
Mr Hart, an Oxford graduate, believes there will be no problem with him officiating as an Ánglican priest when he returns to visit England, staying in the house he owns in Stretham, Ely. Rev Pauline Scott, Vicar of St James in Stretham, wasn't so sure when I spoke to her yesterday. 'We prefer our priests to be Christian,' she said.
Of course Mr Hart, who is international secretary of the World Congress of Faiths and an active member of the Sea of Faith Network (need I say more?), believes he is still a Christian and that there is no contradiction between being a Hindu and being a Christian. A frightening number of the people I discussed this story with yesterday after work felt the same. 'Surely there's no difference is there?' was the common reaction. 'Hindus believe in Jesus don't they? It's not as if he's trying to be a Muslim and a Christian.' Er, well... Where do I start with that one? The amazement when I explained to one interlocuter that Christianity and Islam share a common Abrahamic heritage of belief in the same God was palpable.
I really recommend you look at the links above and read some of Mr Hart's extraordinary quotes. I admire and respect Hinduism as a religion, but just cannot see how it can possibly be compatible with being an Ánglican vicar.
Ganesh, with the head of an elephant and the body of a human, is symbolic of logical solutions. His form of transport is a mouse and he is known as the 'destroyer of obstacles'. I await with interest to see whether the Church of England proves itself the mouse on which Mr Hart rides and maintains his priestly authority to the 60 Hindus he leads in worship at a temple in Kerala each day.
Ely diocese finds out that one of its priests is a Hindu By Bill Bowder, Church Times, UK AN ANGLICAN CLERIC who converted to Hinduism has had his permission to officiate as a priest in the Ely diocese renewed for three years.
The cleric, the Revd David Hart, aged 52, now lives in India, where he carries out Hindu priestly duties in the temple in his village of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Mr Hart, who has taken the Hindu name Ananda, blesses the daily congregation of about 60 with fire that has previously been offered to Nagar, the snake god. The ritual, he said, was normally performed only by Hindu priests.
Mr Hart is also the international secretary of the World Congress of Faiths, and in April this year published a book about his conversion to Hinduism.*
He has also been an Anglican priest since 1984, and owns a house in the diocese of Ely. In July, he had his permission to officiate renewed for another three years by the diocesan bishop, Dr Anthony Russell. The certificate arrived with a personal letter from the Bishop.
On Tuesday, the Bishop reported that he had not known about Mr Hart's conversion to Hinduism when giving him permission to officiate. He said he had been sent a letter from a fellow bishop confirming that Mr Hart was a "safe" person to whom permission could be given.
The Bishop's lay chaplain, Dr Bridget Nichols, said that the news was "a complete revelation to us". "The first time we had heard that David Hart had converted to be a Hindu was yesterday," she said. This was despite Mr Hart's book, and an article in the Leicester Mercury in July.
"We cannot keep an eye on all our non-resident clergy who have permission to officiate. We cannot know what is going on. They maybe will celebrate communion five or six times a year." A personal letter did not mean the Bishop knew the recipient. "We take an application for permission to officiate in good faith," she said.
Mr Hart admitted on Tuesday that he had not told the Bishop of his conversion, but said that he would be "amazed" if his Hinduism "was treated with any suspicion by episcopal authority. I have neither explicitly nor implicitly renounced my Christian faith or priesthood." His renewal of permission to officiate had been "sponsored" by the Rural Dean of Colombo in Sri Lanka, he said.
He believed his move "will rather be read in the spirit of open exploration and dialogue which is an essential feature of our shared modern spirituality".
He said on Monday that he felt he could still celebrate as an Anglican priest when he visited England, although he would continue to visit a Hindu temple. "My philosophical position is that all religions are cultural constructs. I am acting out God's story in local terms."
3d) http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/27/stories/2006082710700400.htm Celebrating religious pluralism the Indian way Sangeeth Kurian, The Hindu Newspaper, India PIETY: David Hart, an Anglican priest, offers prayers to a Ganesha idol in front of his house at Karumam in the State capital. Photo: C. Ratheesh kumar THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Meet David Hart, an Anglican priest, who recites Gayatri Mantram with the same devotion with which he celebrates the Eucharist or offers namaaz at Muslim prayer halls.
He is a "religious pluralist." His fascination for Lord Ganesha has prompted him to celebrate Vinayaka Chathurthi by consecrating an idol of Ganesha at a specially-erected podium in front of his rented house at Karumam on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram. Rev. Hart is an associate professor in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Winchester in the U.K. He says his "pilgrimage to the ocean" on September 1 to immerse the idol will mark the culmination of a spiritual journey he had undertaken since his school years.
"The image of a God with the head of an elephant and four arms was initially an object of curiosity. But it soon turned into a quest to learn more about this extraordinary God," says 51-year-old Rev. Hart. However, his efforts did not make much headway, as there were no Ganesha temples in England in those days. "Today, the cult of Ganesha has become globalised. He is no longer just an Indian God," says Rev. Hart, who renewed his orders for priesthood under the Bishop of Ely, Cambridgeshire, last month. The spiritual image of Ganesha as the remover of obstacles has a special appeal to Britishers. "In England, the idol of Ganesha is more popular than Krishna or any other Indian God and many households have Ganesha in the living room."
"The modern world is no longer dominated by any single form of belief. It is a world of religious pluralism," he says. Rev. Hart is the international secretary of the World Congress of Faiths based in London. He officiates the Holy Communion at St. James Parish Church in Stretham, Cambridge, when he is in England and prefers to spend his time offering namaaz in the Muslim prayer room while waiting for a change of plane at the Dubai Airport.
"The Anglican church firmly believes in engaging itself fully in inter-faith dialogues," says Rev. Hart. "God is the same irrespective of whether you pray to him in a temple, church or mosque," says Rev. Hart, who is currently working on his latest book `The Unification of World Faiths' scheduled to be published next year. His `Trading Faith: Global Religion in an Age of Rapid Change,' a book which focuses on a new model for understanding religious practice and faith, was released in the city early this year.
3e) http://www3.telus.net/st_simons/arm05.htm The Montreal Declaration of Anglican Essentials, 1994 "In Essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity." -Richard Baxter, after St. Augustine We affirm the following Christian essentials: (15 in all) 1. The triune God There is one God, self-revealed as three persons "of one substance, power and eternity," the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. For the sake of the Gospel we decline proposals to modify or marginalize these names and we affirm their rightful place in prayer, liturgy, and hymnody. For the Gospel invites us through the Holy Spirit to share eternally in the divine fellowship, as adopted children of God in whose family Jesus Christ is both our saviour and our brother. ( Dt 6:4; Is 45:5; Mt 28:19; 2Cor 13:14; Gal 4:4-6; 2 Th 2:13-14 1 Pet 1:2 Ju 20-21. Cf Article 1 of the 39 Articles, Book of Common Prayer - Canada (BCP-C) p 699) 2. Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier The almighty triune God created a universe that was in every way good until creaturely rebellion disrupted it. Sin having intruded, God in love purposed to restore cosmic order through the calling of the covenant people Israel, the coming of Jesus Christ to redeem, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to sanctify, the building up of the church for worship and witness, and the coming again of Christ in glory to make all things new. Works of miraculous power mark the unfolding of God's plan throughout history. ( Ge 1-3; Is 40:28; 65:17; Mt 6:10; Jo 17:6; Act 17:24-26,28; 1 Cor 15:28; 2 Cor 5:19; Eph 1:11; 2 Tim 3:16; Heb 11:3; Rev 21:5. Cf Article 1) 3. The Word Made Flesh Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, sinless in life, raised bodily from the dead, and now reigning in glory though still present with his people through the Holy Spirit, is both the Jesus of history and the Christ of Scripture. He is God with us, the sole mediator between God and ourselves, the source of saving knowledge of the Godhead, and the giver of eternal life to the church catholic. (Mt 1:24-25; Mk 15:20-37; Lk 1:35; Jn 1:14; 17:20-21; Act 1:9-11; 4:12 Rom 5:17; Phi 2:5-6; Col 2:9; 1 Tim 2:5-6; Heb 1:2; 9:15. Cf Articles II-IV, the Nicene Creed) 4. The Only Saviour Human sin is prideful rebellion against God's authority, expressing itself in our refusing to love both the Creator and his creatures. Sin corrupts our nature and its fruit is injustice, oppression, personal and social disintegration, alienation, and guilt before God; it destroys hope and leads to a future devoid of any enjoyment if either God or good. From the guilt, shame, power and path of sin, Jesus Christ is the only Saviour; penitent faith in him is the only way of salvation. By his atoning sacrifice on the cross for our sins, Jesus overcame the powers of darkness and secured our redemption and justification. By his bodily rising he guaranteed the future resurrection and eternal inheritance of all believers. By his regenerating gift of the Spirit, he restores our fallen nature and renews us in his own image. Thus in every generation he is the way, the truth and the life for sinful individuals, and the architect of restored human community. ( Jn 14:5; Acts 1:9-11; 2:32-33; 4:12; Rom 3:22-25; 1 Cor 15:20-24; 2 Cor 5:18-19; Phi 2:9-11; Col 2:13-15; 1 Tim 2:5-6; 1 Pet 1:3-5; 1 Jn 4:14; 5:11-12. Cf Articles II-IV, XI, XV, XVIII, XXXI) (....)
3f) http://www.anglicanplanet.net/TAPCanada0609e.html September 2006, The Anglican Planet Ingham brings charges against Harvey New Westminster bishop files charges against retired bishop Donald Harvey for 'being in violation of the Canons of General Synod.' By Sue Careless Michael Ingham, the Bishop of New Westminster, has asked three chancellors or senior church lawyers to "take appropriate action" against Donald Harvey. Harvey is the retired bishop of Eastern
Newfoundland and Labrador and is currently the moderator of the Anglican Network in Canada. Ingham is upset that Harvey only notified him of a weekend visit to his diocese and did not actually ask his permission to cross his diocesan boundaries:
"As I wrote to you before, the Canons of our Church specifically require you to not only inform me but to seek my permission before exercising any ministry in this Diocese.
"Since you have failed to do this yet again and indeed after repeated appeals to you both from myself and the Primate I regard you as being in violation of the Canons of General Synod.
"I have asked the Primate and Metropolitan to take appropriate action." The letter was copied and sent to Primate Andrew Hutchison and the Metropolitan of British Columbia, Terry Buckle, as well as to three chief legal officers: George Cadman, Chancellor of New Westminster; Douglas MacAdams, Chancellor delegate of the Province of B.C; and Ron Stevenson, Chancellor of General Synod..
In a phone interview with the Anglican Planet Harvey said that he had notified Ingham in good time of his intention to visit the diocese of New Westminster for the weekend of July 22. Ingham's letter in reply threatening possible ecclesiastical litigation was dated July 19, and did not arrive in Harvey's Newfoundland home until after his visit. Harvey first learned of the letter after a phone call, just before he flew out, from Buckle.
Harvey had hoped to testify before the two members of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Panel of Reference who were visiting New Westminster that weekend. The Anglican Network of Canada had made applications on behalf of six orthodox parishes in New Westminster and, as the moderator of the Network, Harvey expected to speak with them.
But just days before they arrived, the two Panel members were instructed to meet only with one priest and one lay delegate from each of the six parishes, so Harvey was excluded. (The panel also met with Ingham in Vancouver and the Primate in Toronto.)
"Michael Ingham is in no position to quote the Constitution of the church or of his diocese," claimed Harvey. "If he were to follow the spirit and letter of these constitutions there would be no need for me to visit."
Harvey tried to avoid provoking any trouble when he accepted invitations from two Network churches near Vancouver. In Abbotsford Harvey simply sat with the St. Matthew's congregation to worship and neither preached nor celebrated Holy Communion. He did preach at the Church of the Resurrection in Hope, B.C. but said that Ingham "had no jurisdiction there." The congregation had formerly attended Christ Church, Hope, but left when Ingham suddenly dismissed their priest, Dr. Archie Pell. They now meet with Pell on non-diocesan premises and consider themselves no longer under Ingham's authority.
"I have yet to do anything in New Westminster that could be construed as Episcopal acts," said Harvey. "No confirmations, no ordinations, no issuing of clergy licences -- even though there have been no confirmations at some of those orthodox churches for four or five years. It's a tragedy."
Harvey claims that he always used to notify Ingham whenever he planned to visit but never heard back so on one occasion he didn't. Then in Oct. 2005 Ingham raised the issue in the House of Bishops. The Primate agreed with Ralph Spence, Bishop of Niagara, to remind Harvey about episcopal etiquette -- that Harvey, who was not present, should notify a diocesan bishop of any upcoming visits even if no replies are forthcoming. The House of Bishops, however, did not insist on asking actual permission.
Harvey said that subsequently he did receive a handwritten note from the Primate suggesting that he notify a bishop of a visit and Harvey claims that he has since followed the Primate's advice. Now Ingham, however, has gone one step further and is demanding that Harvey seek his permission.
At press time Harvey had not heard from any of the five persons copied. This is not the first time Ingham has taken legal action against a fellow bishop. Ironically he did so in 2003 against Bishop Buckle, the very bishop to whom he is now appealing in this case. Ingham eventually dropped the charges against Buckle.
4) http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4676 Global South Anglican News Global South Primates Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda Some 20 Provinces will be represented at the Global South Primates Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, Sept. 19-22. They will be expected to address current Communion concerns like the proposed Anglican Covenant and its adoption process, response to GC2006, agenda for Lambeth 2008 and so on.
However, top in the list of priority this time round is to follow-through with the concerns raised in last October's historic Red Sea Encounter in Egypt, including tackling poverty through economic empowerment, strengthening mission co-partnership and cooperating in Communion theological formation and education development. Apart from the Primates, other Province representatives will also be present to discuss and strategise for these areas.
The Primate will worship, pray and discern the Lord's mind together as they seek to cooperate and help one another in the face of many challenges and mission opportunities, without and within.
Archbishop John Chew (Southeast Asia), the General Secretary of the Global South Steering Committee, believes that this meeting will be important. He said, "The Meeting seeks to follow up on some of the key issues raised and identified at the last Encounter. At the same time, the increasingly difficult state of life and witness in the Communion makes our Meeting more crucial. It is divine providence that the Global South Provinces have been able to meet on its own resources so readily over these two years to pro-actively take up responsibilities and contribute to the ongoing faithful life and witness of the Communion."
Being held in Rwanda, with its recent and painful history and efforts being made at rebuilding the nation, the Meeting will be more conscious of the radical need of the new life and power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to bring about divine peace, transformation of human hearts and nature for reconciliation and the building up of harmonious and caring communities.
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